Chapter 66: The Night Before The Tournament

Gao was looking a little nervously at the moon, by the window of his chamber, When is Drum coming back? Tomorrow morning is the beginning of the tournament. I already checked when my match will be and I'll have mine tomorrow.

Tenbu flew by the side of the boy and asked, "Getting nervous?"

Gao nodded and replied, "Yes. I was sure Drum would have come much sooner than that. Maybe the training is longer and more intense than I thought."

"I know nothing of Drum's father, but you must know something about him right?" Tenbu asked.

"Not a lot, but I guess that he's strict and... I guess he's train him until he finishes," Gao guessed.

Tenbu put his hand on the boy shoulder and replied, "As I told you. He'll be here in time. If he's not here when we are going to the arena tomorrow, we'll leave him a note. Drum knows his way around and will find it easily right?"

"Right," Gao replied. His cellphone rang and checked the message, "Tasuku," he said: Is Drum back for the tournament?

Gao replied, Not yet. I'm starting to get nervous, but Tenbu is telling me that he'll be back in time. I believe Drum will be here in time.

Gao then received a reply: If you believe he'll be, than Jack and I will believe too. He then sent another one to Gao: Maybe you should prepare a meal and bring it to the tournament if he comes back without eating.

Thanks for the suggestion, Gao replied.

Sleep well Gao and see you tomorrow, Tasuku replied.

You too buddy.

Gao lightly smiled.

"Tasuku is a great friend," Tenbu said with his mouth near the boy's face.

Gao lightly jumped, "You were reading this!"

"Yes. I was curious since you were not talking to me," Tenbu answered. He chuckled and added, "You should rest now Gao. You have to be ready for tomorrow. If you stress out too much, you'll be tired before the tournament even begins."

"You're right," the boy replied as he stood up and walked toward his bed.

"Rest well boy," Tenbu concluded before flying outside the chamber.

"You too Tenbu," Gao replied.

Noboru sighed as he opened the window of his chamber. He climbed outside and sat on the roof, as he did a few times when he wanted to. He looked at the sky, his lips pointing down and his eyes partially closed.

His buddy climbed outside the window, leaving the dragon inside. He walked near the boy and sat by his side without saying anything.

After a while, Noboru sighed and asked, "What is it?"

Quixote waited a few seconds before answering, "There is something wrong Noboru? Since you talked with your father, you are quiet. At school, you didn't even try to provoke Gao or giving your usual reply when someone talked about your tiger shirt and sees it as a cat."

Noboru gasped, "R-really?" he shook his head, "I'm just mature."

Quixote replied, "That was an obvious lie. Tell me what's wrong. Maybe you will feel better."

The boy sighed and turned toward his buddy, "Dad just got some news this morning. When you were outside, he wanted to speak with me. He told me it was good news, but I don't see it that way."

His buddy nodded, waiting for the boy to confess things on his own without any push.

Noboru looked toward his right, "He got a promotion. He immediately accepted it without talking to mom and me about it," he took a deep breath and concluded, "We have to move to Sapporo soon."

Quixote nodded, "That means you have to tell good-bye to your friends."

Noboru crossed his arms, "Yeah. I... But I don't want to leave. The timing is also the worse!"

"Why is that?" Quixote asked curiously.

"I won't be able to finish the tournament and show Gao I'm better than him!" Noboru yelled furiously, "I subscribe to win it, but I won't be able. I only have time until the semi-final. That's if everything is alright."

Quixote put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "Noboru. I know the timing is horrible, but you still have the opportunity to fight in the tournament until the semi-final. You have plenty of chance of crossing Gao's path."

The boy replied uncertainly, "Yeah. I... hope you're right."

Quixote said nothing else and looked at the sky, "Tell yourself that you will cross his path and believe it. Just as he believes Drum will be here in time."

Noboru lightly smiled, "Right."

Tenbu yawed loudly as he flew toward the couch and lay down on it. He closed his eyes and slowly felt asleep, "Drum... Better come back in time," he joined the dream world.

"Sark!"

Tenbu opened his eyes when he heard a loud screech near him. He looked around, in his giant form and tried to find the one who made the loud sound. The giant snake dragon sighed and searched around him, "I can hear you Yamigedo, but it will be easier if I could see you."

"Sark!" the demon replied.

The dragon chuckled and looked around, "I know you are hungry Yamigedo, but you have to learn to be patient. It's not safe to wake up a dragon from his slumber you-"

"Sark!" Yamigedo protested.

Tenbu lightly smiled, seeing the demon just over his head with a grumpy face, "Well... You are a young child after all."

The dragon gave him a large fish and voraciously ate everything. Yamigedo smiled as his appetite was satisfied. Tenbu checked his surrounding again, of the lifeless world that gave birth to Yamigedo and his ancestors.

One thing was obvious, the absence of vegetation's. Only a few black things that might have been small or giant trees, maybe even strange plants of this worlds. No living animals were present, prey or predators for a small being like what Yamigedo was. The water, he could see it, but it was magenta and releasing purple smoke that looked toxic, from what his instinct was telling the dragon.

"Sark?" Yamigedo asked as he flew around the head of the dragon.

"I'm just looking around," Tenbu replied, Seeing what it did to this world. The worst part is that's only the beginning.

Yamigedo continued flying around Tenbu, until the dragon grunted and grabbed his attention.

"Let's go Yamigedo. We should look around if there are some kids like you who needs help," Tenbu told the demon.

"Sark?" Yamigedo asked.

"Because it is what I must do," Tenbu replied before taking the lead.

The little one followed Tenbu as they flew toward a large mountain. Yamigedo was getting a little bored and decided to accelerate and passed in front of the dragon with a small grin and yelling, "Sark!"

Racing hum? Tenbu thought. He let the little one taking the lead. Should I let him win the race or not? Hum... Tenbu thought of his dilemma as he saw Yamigedo flying closer of the mountain, the finishing line.

Yamigedo grin grew wilder as he saw the distance between him and Tenbu was increasing. He was close of the mountain when he turned around, Tenbu was gone. The little demon gasped and turned back forward, just to bump against the dragon chest. He bounced against it and looked up.

"You won," Tenbu told him.

Yamigedo looked at the dragon, confused by his answer when he saw that he reached the finishing line. He turned toward Tenbu and the mountain, wondering how he reached the end. He continued this while the dragon was chuckling. He then gently pat the demon's head with his mustache.

Yamigedo lips raised and flew around Tenbu and joyfully yelled, "Sark! Sark!"

Tenbu then said, "We should keep going little one. Maybe someone needs help and cannot wait."

The demon returned by the side of the dragon and they continued flying. Tenbu giggled quietly and spoke in his mind, I let you win Yamigedo. I cannot ruin your fun after what you've been through.

They continued flying until they reached a lake. When they were there, Yamigedo screeched loudly and turned around, trying to fly away.

"Where are you going Yamigedo?" Tenbu asked.

"S-Sark!" Yamigedo answered without stopping.

"Away? I can't leave you alone and maybe someone needs help," Tenbu replied.

"Sark!" Yamigedo replied.

I cannot take no for an answer, Tenbu thought. He flew in the young demon's way. Yamigedo didn't slow down in time and pounced against the dragon belly, "Why are you running away?"

"Sark!" the little one replied loudly.

"Not wanting isn't a real answer," the old dragon replied.

Yamigedo tried to fly around the dragon, but Tenbu remained in his way. The little demon eventually knew he couldn't turn away. He then flew toward Tenbu head and slid in the helmet of the dragon.

Tenbu felt the little one shaking in his helmet. He didn't like it, but said nothing, wondering what would scare him so much when no potential treat was present. He flew over the lake as he heard the little demon wining in his helmet.

What's scaring him so much? Tenbu wondered.

The dragon stopped at the other side of the lake. He saw two large corpses. As he looked closer, they were literally destroyed in a gory way with their organs everywhere and part of their flesh melted.

The dragon felt the body of Yamigedo continuing trembling in his helmet, maybe even more than before. He felt something liquid falling on his head, Is he... crying?

Tenbu then saw a fragment of one of their face, looking like Yamigedo's one, but more mature and developed. Those must be... His parents! Tenbu realised. That's why he's scared! He immediately flew away, He cannot see them that way again or he'll probably relive the horrible... He might witnessed.

When Tenbu was far enough, he stopped, "You can come out now."

Yamigedo took a sneak peek and knew it was the true. He flew out of the helmet, but was stopped when Tenbu said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sark," Yamigedo replied.

The dragon nodded and moved his hand behind the little demon, "It was too horrible. I'm sorry I brought you there. I didn't know, but I should have listen to you," he pulled the demon against him, "I'm sorry little one. Cry if you want, there is no shame in it."

Yamigedo did that. He cried, even when he thought he cried to the last tear when he lost them, he still had tears for them.

Tenbu woke up and grumbled. He looked around before resting again, "Another dream about him. I remember this. I took care of him, but in the end... It went wrong," he whispered quietly, "Drum and Gao needs to be ready when he's back."

Elsewhere, Drum entered inside a black tower, "Dark Dragon world sight is just so... fearsome."

He looked at the surrounding of the tower. It was a desolated place with only black mountains surrounding it. He could feel something watching him from the mountain, but couldn't see it.

"Calm down. This isn't an horror movie..." he gulped, "Reality is worse! Okay, I need to get the spellcard in there and get out of here, then I'll have everything. Why dad sent me here again as the last world? I thought no dragons lived or came here except Dark dragons."

He then walked in the tower, ready to face anything, except his worst nightmare.

AC: This is the end of chapter 66.

Next chapter: ABC Cup, here we come!